Culture & Entertainment

Travel Talk: Todd Babiak's "My Own Private Edmonton"

Culture & Entertainment

Travel Talk: Todd Babiak's "My Own Private Edmonton"

Cyber-stalking does pay off. Last week I managed to track down award-winning writer and humorist Todd Babiak to get the real scoop on his city of Edmonton. Todd is the guy who crafted the highly entertaining must-read "Garneau Block" and most recently, "Toby: A Man."

With a trip to
Edmonton in the works for this coming summer, I asked Todd a few questions to help flush out my itinerary: [caption id="attachment_3198" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Writer, wit, world traveller Todd Babiak"]
[/caption]

Q:
Where should I hang out on a Saturday morning in Edmonton?A:Old Strathcona Farmers' Market. Downtown hipsters will argue that the Saturday morning open-air market on 104th Street, in what has become a warehouse/loft district, is more authentic and crafty. But really: what do they know? Their pants are way too small for them, for one thing.

Q: What's the one spot in Edmonton that tourists almost always miss or deliberately take a pass?A: The malls and power centres, on the donut of the city, suck up most of the attention. But the most exciting development at the moment is Alberta Avenue - 118th Avenue. It was so depressed, even during the booms, that very little of the old stuff, which once seemed ugly, was torn down to make way for the REALLY ugly stuff. Consequently, with a new coat of paint and an awning, it's a beautiful olde tyme main street. Ten years ago it was genuinely scary, especially at night. Today it's filled with small ethnic restaurants, live theatre, festivals, a community-run café, new immigrants, young families..artists. Once a month, on Saturday nights, there's professional wrestling!

Q: Where in Edmonton are you likely to find the zaniest, most interesting folks? A: I hope it's not louche to say this, but I've come to see mall people as the zaniest population in the city. Multiply-pierced super-tattoo kids hanging out atGazebo Park in Old Strathcona, next to a demonstration against a perceived slight against Esperanto speakers, while actors practice their lines behind a garbage can at the Fringe Festival and several neighbourhood children meet to compare guinea pigs all seems completely normal to me. Someone grimacing with a bag full of sweatshirts from Old Navy because they can't find their van in a gigantic parking lot is profoundly zany.

Q: You and your family returned not long ago from a sabbatical in Europe. Are you now able to spot a Canadian overseas?A: When we lived in France, my wife and I often played a game where we tried to guess whether or not an anglophone tourist couple with a North American accent was Canadian. If they weren't trying to insinuate themselves into other conversations in English, they were almost always Canadian. If they heard the English language and dove across the table to speak to us, we were fairly certain they were Americans (or Calgarians).

Todd Babiak's Latest Book

Toby: A Man came out in 2010. The storyline: a successful TV bloke loses his job, home and moves back in with his parents, once successful hot dog vendors. Those bare facts alone should entice you.

My Favourite Todd Babiak Title

[caption id="attachment_3096" align="aligncenter" width="160" caption="You will laugh yourself silly!"]
[/caption] I knew very little about Todd Babiak when a review copy of
"Garneau Block" landed on my desk a few years ago. I inhaled the book in one weekend. "Garneau Block" revolves around the machinations and madness of the residents of a fictional Edmonton cul-de-sac which is about to be appropriated by the university. Reading it on the subway brought on embarrassing fits of laughter. The book was originally serialized in the Edmonton Journal, where Babiak works as a columnist. Why the CBC doesn't massage his book into a TV series defies reason. Think of "Garneau Block" as a travelogue to the Edmonton of Babiak's imagination. Then again, could the Edmonton he conjures up within these pages be the real thing? Stay tune for Todd's upcoming take on what to do with your kids in
March Break in Edmonton.

Pattern Notes: Twisted rib stitch (worked over an even number of stitches): Row 1 and Row 2: *K1 tbl, p1 tbl* repeat to end of row. Repeat Rows 1 and 2.

Casting on: The Honey Stitch Cowl is cast on using the provisional cast on, which leaves the cast-on stitches "live." Because they're "live" and not closed off as with a regular cast on, we can later pick them up and seam them together with the stitches on the needle. There are several ways to work the provisional cast on. My favourite method involves using a crochet hook and a scrap piece of yarn to make a crochet chain. The cast on stitches are then knitted directly onto the crochet chain, which acts as a holder for the cast on stitches. Once you've finished your cowl you can unravel the crochet chain, which reveals the "live" cast on stitches. These are then picked up on a needle and seamed together with the other stitches on your needle using the three-needle bind off.

Three-needle Bind Off: This bind off joins two sets of "live" stitches together in a neat, secure seam. As the name suggests, it requires three needles: one needle holds the cast on stitches, the other holds the stitches at the end of the cowl, and the third needle is used to knit the stitches on both needles in order to bind them off into a seam.

• With the two needles clapped together and the right sides of the cowl facing each other, insert the third needle into the first stitch on the needle closest to you as if to knit. Insert the third needle into the first stitch on the needle in the back. There are now two stitches on the third needle. Bring the working yarn around the third needle as if to knit and bring the yarn through both stitches on both needles. * There is now one stitch on the third needle. â€¨â€¨Repeat the instructions between * and * until you have two stitches on the needle. Then, using your fingers or one of the needles holding the stitches, bring the first stitch on the third needle over the second stitch. One stitch has been bound off. â€¨â€¨Continue to knit one stitch through two stitches on your needles and bind off on the third needle until you have one stitch left on your third needle. Cut the yarn and weave through the last stitch. Notice that you have created a nice, sturdy seam that joins your cast on stitches with the last stitches on your cowl.

Row 2 (right side): Sl1 knitwise, *p1 tbl, k1 tbl* repeat until you reach 1 st before the first marker, p1 tbl, sm. *Slip 1 st to DPN and hold in back, k1, k the st from the DPN. Slip next st to DPN and hold in front, k1, k the st from DPN* repeat until you reach the second marker, sm. *P1 tbl, k1 tbl* repeat to end of row.

Row 3 (wrong side): repeat Row 1.

Row 4: (right side): Sl1, *p1 tbl, k1 tbl* repeat until you reach 1 st before the first marker, p1 tbl, sm. *Slip 1 st to DPN and hold in front, k1, k the st from DPN. Slip next st to DPN and hold in back, k1, k the st from DPN* repeat until you reach the second marker, sm. *P1 tbl, k1 tbl* repeat to end of row.

Note about yarns: Unfortunately, KPC Yarn is only available online. It's stocked in a retail store in Hong Kong. However, there are a number of other yarn options for Canadians; look for a chunky weight yarn. Berroco Vintage Chunky and Debbie Bliss Rialto Chunky are very similar to the KPC chunky in gauge. Alternatively, consult your local yarn store.

Davina Choy reluctantly picked up knitting at 14, under the instruction of a family friend. Learn how an afternoon of knitting turned into a lifelong passion for Choy.

Culture & Entertainment

Hygge: The Art of "Finding Magic in the Ordinary"

Culture & Entertainment

Hygge: The Art of "Finding Magic in the Ordinary"

Think about some of your warmest memories—drinking wine and reminiscing with girlfriends, chatting with your mom while she whips up a batch of your favourite muffins, having a dinner date that leads to cocktails that leads to stargazing by the water because neither of you want the night to end—that’s hygge. It’s finding happiness in the every day, and all you need to be able to attain it is to know about it.

Some say the Danish word is pronounced “hooga” but according to Marie Tourell Søderberg, author of Hygge: The Danish Art of Happiness, it’s like this: The “y” is similar to the French “y” sound—think “huge,” and the “gge” sounds like the first syllable in “girl.” But, it doesn’t really matter how you say "hygge"—you just need to get it. And to get it, you need to know where it comes from.

Hygge originates from a Norwegian word that means “well-being,” and in English, it means “coziness,” but it’s much more than that. Hygge is appreciating the little things in life. It’s “all the small things that make us feel safe, loved and satisfied,” says Søderberg. Hygge is doing things with warmth and joy, being present in the moment, and having a feeling of home—in other words, the Danish way of life.

Denmark is ranked as one of the happiest nations in the world, and hygge is likely an “ingredient in the Danish recipe for happiness,” says author Meik Wiking in his book, The Little Book of Hygge. Compared to other Europeans, Danes “meet most often with their friends and family and feel the calmest and most peaceful.” And that’s why there’s a growing interest in hygge.

Books on the subject are quickly filling up store shelves—a simple Indigo search will pull up more than five books on hygge, all of which have come out in the later half of 2016 (including Søderberg’s and Wiking’s) or will be coming out in the early months of 2017—just in time for winter, which is pretty much the reason why hygge exists.

In her book, Søderberg says, “It originated due to the need to create joy, warmth and togetherness in a country that boasts long, cold winters”—something Canadians can relate to. Hygge encourages you to embrace the cold months instead of waiting for the sun to shine again. But, anyone, anywhere, can enjoy the benefits of hygge any time of year, as it’s all about sharing moments with those you love, indulging in comfort foods, and taking in the sights and sounds around you.

Understanding hygge and having a name for it helps you recognize it and look for it in your day-to-day life. “Including it in our daily narratives and language makes us aware of the qualities of the word. Saying, ‘let’s hygge tonight,’ states a clear intention of what qualities we want our evening to have—presence, lovingness, relaxed, informal—all these qualities in one word,” says Søderberg.

Intimate candlelit dinner parties, mulled wine by a fire and ice skating under twinkling lights are classic hygge moments, but it can also be found when you're not expecting it. Hygge can happen in the least hyggelig (the adjective form of “hygge”) locations or in those in-between moments throughout your day—like when you're hiding from the rain under an awning with a friend, listening to a sax player as you wait for the next subway to arrive, or laughing with your sister over the phone.

Although hygge can happen anywhere, the most common place for it is at home, so it helps to make your living quarters feel warm, safe and welcoming—think candles, warm textiles and plenty of personal touches. In Søderberg’s book, she shares decorating advice from Nordic interior design expert Christina B. Kjeldsen: “The hygge comes when you feel that the person behind the surroundings is completely comfortable with his or her choices, but at the same time isn’t afraid of decorating intuitively and trying out new things and ideas…When you put thoughtfulness into how and why you have chosen to surround yourself with particular furniture, objects, art, flowers, knick-knacks, curtains—whatever—then you relax and your guests will see and know you for who you are.”

But, it’s important not to feel pressure to create a perfect space or occasion and force hygge. Decorate your space for you and not how you think it should be, and let moments unfold naturally—something that can be all too rare in this social media age. Søderberg warns, “The most hyggelig evening can look like a disaster in a picture, and opposite—the least hyggelig can look like a perfect evening.” But, if you have a true hyggling moment, it’ll be a “piece of art to capture the exact sense of an atmosphere in a photo.”

So, keep hygge on your mind. Make plans to hygge, be present in every moment, and soak up life's glories. And if you do, you’ll be gifted with the ability to, as Søderberg says, “[find] the magic in the ordinary.”

Get crafty with these stylish (and free!) knitting patterns

Slideshow

Stylish knitting patterns for scarves, hats, bags and more

Alder headband knitting pattern

This Alpaca headband's soft, thick yarn and easy pattern make it a satisfying quick knit. The headband is designed using a simple two-by-two rib pattern with a unique twist. And it's so practical as an ear warmer, you might be tempted to make it in several winter colours.

Stylish knitting patterns for scarves, hats, bags and more

Sundew Hat pom-pom beanie

Quick to knit and extra-cozy, the Sundew Hat is the perfect cold-weather accessory. Whether you are looking to knit a thoughtful last-minute gift or your own quintessential hat, the Sundew Hat is a crowd-pleasing favourite with its classic design and soft texture.

Medallion Mittens

Stylish knitting patterns for scarves, hats, bags and more

Ellenesque Felted Bowl knitting pattern

The Ellenesque Bowls are a practical and stylish solution to all your storage needs. Knitting your own bowl is an easy way to create the perfect size vessel for any purpose, and you can choose from a variety of colour options in our Merino Copito yarn to match your home décor.

Stylish knitting patterns for scarves, hats, bags and more

Knit a stylish winter headband

On those cold, wintry days when you need something warm around your face, grab your knitting needles, hibernate for a weekend and knit up The Stone and Arrow Winter Set. Designed in bulky yarn, The Arrow Headband and The Stone Scarf come together in a snap.

Stylish knitting patterns for scarves, hats, bags and more

Stone Scarf knitting pattern

The Stone Scarf got its name from its 3D texture, created by alternating knits and purls, that resembles a stonewall. The quirky stone-like bumps are tempered by a garter-stitch border and a slipped selvedge for a tidy edge.